Government accused of sneakily elevating chief

Traditional leaders in Dowa have faulted government for elevating a chief in the district to Sub-Traditional Authority (STA).

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Kondwani Nankhumwa on Thursday installed Traditional Authority Chakhaza and elevated Mwamcheka Matapila from Group Village Headman (GVH) to Sub-Traditional Authority (STA).

Nankhumwa installing Traditional Authority Chakhaza.

Chakhaza was installed after 15 years of chieftaincy wrangles in his area.

In October last year, the High Court sitting in Lilongwe ruled in favour of the current T/A Chakhaza, ending many injunctions against him which restrained government from installing him as chief of the area.

The installation ceremony took place at Chakhaza primary school ground in the district.

The elevation of Mwamcheka has however irked other chiefs in the district.

The post of STA Mwamcheka was earlier abolished by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government after noting that former president Joyce Banda installed 22 STAs, nine of which were from Dowa district.

But following the installation of the elevation of Mwamcheka, two group village heads have described the events surrounding the installation as done under the influence of politics.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the two GVHs alleged that government shifted the installation of STA Mwamcheka Matapila to Chakhaza in the district to avoid chaos in his area which would have started if the announcement was made in advance.

According to the chiefs, the people of Mwamcheka came to know of the installation with only three days to go before the day of the ceremony.

The chiefs also expressed worry that Davite Chiwaya who was previously installed as Sub-Traditional Authority Mwamcheka may go to court to challenge the installation of Mwamcheka Matapila.

Meanwhile, the two GVHs have asked government to reinstate the other demoted STAs who were installed alongside Mwamcheka during Banda’s reign.